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Increasing Deaths from Opioid Analgesics in the United States
 

 
Leonard J. Paulozzi MD, MPH, Daniel S. Budnitz MD, MPH, and Yongli Xi, MS; Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety; 15(9); 618-627; 2006. Posted: 2006-09-14.
[Identifier: http://www.doctordeluca.com/Library/WOD/Rot3-DeathOpioidsUp06.htm]
 
Related resources:  
War on Doctors Academic, Official, and Legal archives  ;  Drug War Journalism and Advocacy archives 
 
The Pathological DEA: Aftermath of the DEA FAQ Debacle - compiled: DeLuca; War on Pain Sufferers series #11; 2006
 
See also:
The Challenge of Prescription Drug Misuse: A Review and Commentary - William Hurwitz; Pain Medicine; 2005
 
U.S. Painkiller Deaths Up - Miranda Hittite; WebMD; 2006-07-24
 
Dr. Fishman's Response to Paulozzia's 'Increased Deaths from Opioid[s]' (PDF) - Scott M. Fishman; Pharmacoepi.Drug Safety; 2006
 
Wanted: Public Health Approach to Prescription Opioid Abuse and Diversion (PDF) - Joranson and Gilson; Pharmacoepi.Drug Safety; 2006
 
Drug Crime [Not Pain Docs] Source of Abused Pain Meds in the U.S. - Joranson and Gilson, J.Pain and Symptom Manage.; 2005
 
The War on Drugs, War on Doctors, and the Pain Crisis in America - DeLuca; Columbia University; 2004
 
 War on Doctors/Pain Crisis blog and RSS feed
 

 
[FULL TEXT of this Article in PDF format]

Abstract
 
Purpose
Since 1990, numerous jurisdictions in the United States (US) have reported increases in drug poisoning mortality. During the same time period, the use of opioid analgesics has increased markedly as part of more aggressive pain management. This study documented a dramatic increase in poisoning mortality rates and compared it to sales of opioid analgesics nationwide.
 
Methods
Trend analysis of drug poisoning deaths using underlying cause of death and multiple cause of death mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and opioid analgesic sales data from the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
 
Results
Unintentional drug poisoning mortality rates increased on average 5.3% per year from 1979 to 1990 and 18.1% per year from 1990 to 2002. The rapid increase during the 1990s reflects the rising number of deaths attributed to narcotics and unspecified drugs. Between 1999 and 2002, the number of opioid analgesic poisonings on death certificates increased 91.2%, while heroin and cocaine poisonings increased 12.4% and 22.8%, respectively. By 2002, opioid analgesic poisoning was listed in 5528 deaths - more than either heroin or cocaine. The increase in deaths generally matched the increase in sales for each type of opioid. The increase in deaths involving methadone tracked the increase in methadone used as an analgesic rather than methadone used in narcotics treatment programs.
 
Conclusions
A national epidemic of drug poisoning deaths began in the 1990s. Prescriptions for opioid analgesics also increased in this time frame and may have inadvertently contributed to the increases in drug poisoning deaths.

[FULL TEXT of this Article in PDF format]

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